Canon India to spend Rs.550 mn on sales

MUMBAI, INDIA: Canon India Pvt Limited said Thursday it would spend Rs.550 million ($12 million) during 2010 on ramping up its imaging communications product (ICP) division to build on the 32 per cent growth it had recorded in the year gone by.

The company, which closed 2009 with overall revenues of Rs.8.4 billion, a 27 per cent growth over 2008, also announced two new campaigns - Canon on Wheels and My IXUS, My Style to tap a wider audience and reposition the ICP category this year.

The ICP division comprises digital compact cameras, DV camcorders Selphy photo printers and digital SLRs.

Starting Thursday from Mumbai, the company said it will roll out 100 roadshows during the next six months across eight cities to reach out to five million customers through a mass contact programme.

Making the announcements here, Kensaku Konishi, president and CEO of Canon India, said: "Canon believes in providing its consumers with the latest technology and photography products. During last year, we pride ourselves in achieving substantial growth and to continue the momentum further, we will provide our consumers, expanded portfolio of stylish and next generation digital imaging products."

"The camera industry is growing at 35 per cent per annum in India and Canon wants to replicate its success stories of the world in India too. Canon is rolling out aggressive marketing plans to touch Rs.4.5 billion revenue from the camera division of a total of Rs.11 billion in 2010," Konishi added.

Alok Bharadwaj, senior vice president of Canon India, said on the occasion: "In 2010, with our innovative campaigns like Canon on Wheels, My IXUS My Style and Canon Edge Photo community programme, we hope to reach out and engage with customers across India to provide them with hands-on experience of our technologies."

©IANS